Kansas City’s Union Station: Guide to a Modular Monument

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Kansas City’s Union Station: Guide to a Modular Monument

(12 reviews)
Kansas City, Missouri audio tour: Kansas City’s Union Station: Guide to a Modular Monument
This is an indoor tour
Kansas City, Missouri
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$4.99
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About the Tour

This 15-minute walking tour guides you through the history of Union Station, which goes back as far as 1914 and chugs through the golden age of railway travel in the United States into the present. It points out the iconic building’s architectural highlights along the way, and answers some common questions, like: Why was it built? How was it used? Why was it nearly abandoned, who saved it from decay, and what do we mean by “modular monument” anyway?

The tour starts at the east side door, nearest the Streetcar stop, and takes you through a gallery of historic construction photos into the Grand Hall and Grand Plaza. There’s also a balcony viewing point that most visitors never see.

Categories
Fine Art Architecture Industrial Revolution Transportation Heritage Music And Performance

Tour Producer

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Jackson County Historical Society

3 tours

The Jackson County (Missouri) Historical Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving the written, oral, and physical legacy of this county. We do this by maintaining physical collections and promoting the study, appreciation, and interpretation of local and regional history.

Preview Location

Location 1

Welcome to Union Station

[Mayor Lucas]: Welcome to the Jackson County Historical Society’s digital history tour of Union Station. I’m Quinton Lucas, Kansas City’s Mayor, and I couldn’t be more pleased to present to you the richly drawn history of this building, one of our city’s most prized possessio... Read More
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Major Landmarks

  • Union Station

  • Amtrak Terminal

  • Liberty Memorial

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.
  1. Start location
    30 W Pershing Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
  2. Total distance
    504m
  3. Final location
    OK St, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
  4. Distance back to start location
    45.79m

Directions to Starting Point

Starting from the Streetcar platform, walk toward the side of the building that faces Main Street, and go through either set of double-doors found just beneath where the skywalk connects to the building.

If you’re already inside Union Station, go to the Grand Hall and look for Southeast Corner. (The Grand Hall is likely the huge open room that you first walked into, with a restaurant in the center and different shops along the sides). Step into the hallway that flows left from the Southeast corner and follow it until you reach a set of doors that lead outside. Do Not go up the stairs.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Union Station houses a lot of fun additional attractions: Science City for families with kids; the Grand Plaza Model Train Gallery for train enthusiasts; Peirpont’s for couples wanting a fancy cocktail or dinner; and a host of other attractions. Visit their website for a full list.

Best time of day

Union Station is currently open from 6 AM to 11 PM, and any time of day will work to take the tour.

Precautions

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App Store Review
“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”
Google Play Store

Questions and Reviews

4.8 / 5
12 Ratings
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